Capacitive discharge units (CDUs) find use in a variety of applications where a short burst of a large electrical current is required. This includes the initiation of detonators for commercial or military applications, the initiation of flashlamps, the initiation of plasma discharges, etc. Conventional CDUs are generally not very rugged or compact and thus are not usable for certain applications having size constraints or requiring shock resistance. Additionally, the inductance in wiring between a conventional CDU and a load can stretch out the time over which the electrical current is discharged thereby limiting the attainment of a fast current discharge pulse which is required for certain applications.
The present invention provides an improvement over the prior art by providing a capacitive discharge unit (CDU) as a monolithic assembly that includes a parallel-plate ceramic capacitor for storing electrical energy and a semiconductor switch (e.g. a thyristor switch) attached onto one side of the capacitor to provide a low-inductance current path for discharge of the capacitor. A flyback charging circuit comprising a transformer and a semiconductor diode is attached onto the other side of the ceramic capacitor.
The monolithic CDU of the present invention can be formed as a compact and rugged assembly for use in space-critical applications, and for applications requiring shock resistance.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art.